So, you just got back from a week’s vacation at a time share on a lake. You thoroughly enjoyed the time you spent on a rental boat fishing, water skiing, tubing, or even just motoring around looking at the scenery. Now, you want one of your own, and you’re paging through Craigslist to find the best deal on a used boat that you can find.

That’s not a bad thing in itself. Everyone who’s into the boating hobby has to start somewhere, and that’s just as fine a place as any. Still, if you’ve never owned your own boat, there are some things to be cautious of. There can be a steep learning curve for the new boat enthusiast, from understanding maintenance requirements to buying boat insurance.

There are some specific reasons you might think about not buying a boat, too. If one or more of these things apply to you, think long and hard before you buy:

1. You will only use your boat for a couple of weeks a year. Yes, renting a boat is expensive. The price you pay to rent a boat when you want to use one adds up, and can be more than what you’d spend on a good used boat. Still, you need to recognize the ancillary costs. You will need more gas for your vehicle to pull the boat. You’ll need a boat trailer. You’ll need to register the boat and get boat insurance. You’ll need to maintain the boat, and you’ll have to fix anything that breaks.
2. You have zero mechanical aptitude. Boat ownership requires you to tinker, at least a little bit. There are regular maintenance tasks you need to perform. Yes, you can pay someone to do these things, but the cost is going to add up fast.
3. You haven’t added up the costs. You need to take into account all of the costs already mentioned, plus marina rental, plus gas for your boat, plus all of the maintenance equipment to keep up your boat. Boating is not an inexpensive hobby by any means.
4. You haven’t researched boat models and styles. Before you buy a boat, you need to know what’s out there. It’s not like buying a car; there are significant differences between boat types, and you need to do some serious legwork to pick the boat that’s right for you.
5. Your wife says “No.” Seriously, dude. There are more important things to fight about. You’ve made it this long without owning your own boat, and you can still rent. If it’s that important to her, let this one go.